1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to flexible surfaces and their support structures. More specifically, the invention is a flexible volumetric structure having a flexible three dimensional support with a flexible skin coupled thereto.
2. Description of the Related Art
Improving aerodynamic performance of land-based vehicles, water-borne vehicles, and aircraft has generally focused on shape and/or configuration of the various vehicle surfaces or “skins” that interface with surrounding fluid environment. With respect to aircraft, “skins” have been developed with changeable mechanical properties. Ideally, these skins are coupled to movable aircraft structures called “morphing” aircraft structures. Such “morphing” can imply large or global shape change such as increasing wing aspect ratio or wing planform area, or changes in wing chamber, twist and/or leading/trailing edge shape. However, morphing also implies smaller shape changes such as surface bump growth/contraction for shockwave control, drag control, etc. In general, these skins must be coupled to an underlying actuation structure that can change the shape of the skin while maintaining (at least for most applications) a smooth shape. However, there are currently no large-surface-area actuators capable of maintaining a skin's smooth shape throughout its desired range of motion. Accordingly, the use of morphable skins have been essentially relegated to vehicle areas that exhibit small or local shape changes, e.g., gap sealing, hinge lines, control surface junctions, etc.